calvary

That's James "Jimmie" Ward www.earlyaviators.com/eward1.htm Considering that by mid 1912 War was arrested on bigamy charges and Grant lost a battle with Cancer, I would date this pic at 1911.

Thanks for the information! We’ll look into it.

grant died on , July 23, 1885 .. this can't be the US Grant from the Amerian Civil War

This picture together with LC-B2- 2265-8 (Ward and Hudson Maxim) and LC-B2- 2265-9 Ward in his Curtiss airplane) and LC-B2- 2265-5 (Ward taking off from Grosvenor Island New York) all belong together. Pictures were taken on the occasion of the start of the aviator James J. Ward for the Hearst Transcontinental Flight, where he would fly the traject New York - San Francisco. The first who did the transcontinental flight earned the prize allotted by Hearst: $ 50,000. The start in New York of Ward was on September 13, 1911 where he left at 09:00 hours. So the pictures can be exactly dated. According to the record two man in high places were present Major-General Grant (probably 'another' Grant) and Hudson Maxim (the brother of Hiram Maxim, Hudson Maxim was also an inventor). Remarkable is the take off picture which was exactly taken when Ward got the machine loose from the ground. In the background is the Statue of Liberty. As told Ward came not very far and he abandoned his prize flight around the 22nd of September 1911. The whole occassion was reported on in the NY Times September 13, 1911 and following. The report of the start (giving also the names of Major-General Grant and Hudson Maxim) can be found at query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9402E0D91531E2... with the title 'Ward on long flight. Will start from Governors Island Today on a Trip to San Francisco'. Cheers Kees

Varese2002: Thanks for tying the photos together with some added context! We'll see what we can do to reference the event when we edit the description.

I believe the building in the background is the Old Admiralty and the parade ground itself is the Horse Guards Parade.

I think so too, they still Troop the Colour there.

Interesting detail: about 2/3 of the way to the right, in front of the line of guards and just behind the foreground figure, there is a second mounted figure who appears to be Indian. He's wearing a decorated turban of some kind, has a moustache, and doesn't look particularly old. You can see him in the medium size, but he stands out more in the larger sizes. Someone has tagged this "raj" -- so I can't be the only one who's noticed. I wonder who he is? Also more apparent in the larger size: masses of people standing on a balcony in the background, and at almost every window!

Well spotted CM! Isn't that interesting. I'd guess he was some visiting dignitary but I don't have the faintest idea who.

My guess is that they are from India/Hindustan.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said: "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. (John 19: 30)

Please rotate image.

Done, thanks!